Landscaper Killed by Falling Concrete Slab

A man working a residential landscaping job in Norwich Township, Ohio was killed after a concrete patio slab fell on him, police said.

Emergency crews called at 8:30 a.m. to a $600,000 home found the man severely injured and bleeding from his ears in the back yard. He died at Ohio State University Medical Center.

Hilliard police said they were having trouble identifying the man, who looked to be in his 20s or 30s. A second worker told police they were employed by Gomez Painting and Drywall, but police weren't sure the name was accurate. The company is not listed in the phone book, and officials could not be reached for comment.

"We don't really know who he is for sure," Sgt. Mike Redmond said.

Landscaping work included the construction of retaining walls and the removal of dirt from beneath an existing concrete patio in the back yard, Redmond said.

The excavation, which apparently had occurred a few days earlier, left about half of the concrete slab unsupported, Redmond said. For reasons that weren't clear, the victim was standing beneath the overhanging slab with a shovel when it fell on him, he said.

"This patio was head-high," Redmond said. "The thing just chose that moment to collapse."

The death appears to be an accident and will be investigated by the federal Occupational Safety & Health Administration, he said.

Deborah Zubaty, OSHA's area director, said it could take inspectors several weeks to determine what happened and whether any workplace violations occurred.